Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-08-25

Il
Ed. Register-On the 9th inst, the write
and his family left home to spend wee
among relatives near Belgrade. We niue
enjoyed the hearty good will and generou
hospitality OF all whom we visited. Re,
John Thomas entertained us with recits
OF few of his many recollec,ions Of the pas
half-century. He stated that he was bor
November 10th, 1901; hence he has nearl
completed his S6th year. He Is doubtlessl
one OF the oldest persons In Washington
county. He Ii q direct descendant of
Revolutionary family his father havinI
been an orderly sergeant in time of the Rev
oiutionary War. ''Uncle Thomas" as he
known by his relatives, is quite stout, con
sidering his age, and is blessed in the en-
toyment Of more retentive memory than
usual with octogenarians.
At Mr.. Jacob s. BaTger's on James Creel
we enjoyed among other good things por
ton OF q thirty pound watermelon, raised b,
Mr.. Barger himself; we considered it /
splendid melon for this season, both as re-
gaid s quantity and size. Mr.. s. Barger alst
showed us sample ears of new kind of corr
that he raised this year. Judging from the
condition of the corn shown us and from thu
statements made to us regarding it we are
led to believe that it is certainly the earliest
matured corn we have yet seen and hence
believe 1t to be the corn of Southeast Mis-.
souri,, since drouths at the usual ''silking.
time" have become the rule with us of late
years. The corn, Of which about three acres
was grown on the farm named, was planted
April 10th; fully matured July 10th; from
two to four ears grew on each stalk. Name
Of corn: "Farmer's Friend"
At different places where we visited we
were entertained by vocal and instrumental
music rendered by Misses Annie and Nellie
Carney. DR.. j. L. Eaton and his sister, Miss
Fannie May, and Mrs. Charles Townsend.
Leaving my family with relatives paid a
short visit to old friends near Caledonia
Messrs. D. s. Imboden and VIM. Hull and
families. Found all well and prospering and
as cheerful and entertaining as Of yore. l
that throughous the country
round about Caledonia, as we'll as in the
vicinity of Belgrade, the drouth has been as
as it has with US excepting in iso-
lated spots or streaks that were favored with
timely rains In abundance. Among such
localities may be named the farms Of
Messrs. Geo. E. Breckenridge and Bennett
Bryan, on each of which corn is standing
that will yield sixty bushels per acre in the
Judgment of neighboring farmers. An I'M
usually large acreage of wheat was sown last
autumn in the region of country named and
OF fhro
thresher were quite busy threshing the grain
out OF the many huge ricks that could be
seen Oh every hand. One of the largest crops
in the vicinity of Belgrade was that of Mr..
VIM. b. Ramsey, who sowed As acres to
wheat and who is one of Washington coun.
ty's most energetic and prosperous farmers.
Returning home on the 18th inst, we found
hot, dry, parched and suffering much for
want of some of the several good rains that
had in the meantime fallen in other sections
Of the country.
In the REGISTER of the 4th inst, Mr.. T. P.
Russell partially answered my questions re-
garding ''cheat" being the offspring of wheat
and those regarding drouths. Mr.. Russell
that we haye had very hot summer and
very busy one. trust it is sufficient for
me to state that my sole dependence for
livelihood for myself and my family is till
ing the soil on our little farm ,and that being
unable owing to chronic disease to do more
than half.a.nan's work." to prove to him
that have had ample opportunity to real
lie just how hot and how busy season we
have had.
The gentleman gives his reasons for being
Of the opinion that "under certain conditions
wheat will turn to cheat" While 1 am
neither prepared nor disposed to dispute the
view of the subject, think it
to differ from him on said ques-
ton for the following reasons: 1. The same
bible to which he refers me at the close of
mis- letter teaches us that ''like produces
ike" 2. A field of mine was sown to wheat
IN 1877. Since that time no part of the field
was sown to wheat until 'S5, when about
one-ninth of it was sown to wheat resulting
IN toierably good crop Of wheat, with very
title cheat. Last autumn about two-fifths
If the field was sown to wheat. Two por-
ions of the field were thus sown and as .
result one portion yielded fair quality of
almost perfectly clean wheat, while on the
,ther portion cheat abounded to the extent
fully half; the wheat was Of an Infer
or quality. 3. have about five acres which
lad been in clover tor five or more years
lot in wheat since '7S; for several years past
we'll developed cheat grew on different parts
If said clover patch and it was cut, in its
yreen state, with the clover; hence had lit
lie or no chance to terminate. 4. Our old
garden which has never, to my knowledge,
been sown to wheat, was sOwn to clover last
rear. This season I cut from It crop Of
.ank clover and cheat-about half-and- half
u each.
As for the drouth question the gentleman
eems as completely puzzled as 1, myself,
I'm. The opinion of Mi. Homan-quoted by
Mr.. R. seems quite reasonable; but the fact
.emains, that all over this country, the rains,
Turing the past two years, at least, have fall
en- more regularly and in greater abundance
IN portions OF almost every community than
I has on the country adjacent to them.
In q recent Issue "Tobias" mentions q
mans having set fire to the woods thinking
t would increase the rainfall; few years
.go Hon. w. T. Croker did the same, but
without attaining the desired result.
During night before last and on yesterday
morning moderate rains fell hereabouts,
late corn. but doing early corn no
rood, in cases where, as with US. no rain had
'allen, previous to the above mentioned,
since July 9th.
Mr.. James NJ. Lucas reports an increase
In business, stating that he has now the
run of custom he has ever had; this
,oi,,ax tho case he has deemed it nraner ia